1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to scanning tools. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a scanning tool for optically scanning personal identification cards using the camera of a portable computing device. Even more particularly, the present invention pertains to a scanning tool that is configured to hold a personal identification card in a particular position relative to the camera of the portable computing device, which maximizes the ability of the portable computing device to quickly and accurately optically scan information provided on the personal identification card.
2. General Background
In various situations, it is helpful to be able to optically scan information provided on personal identification cards into a computing device. For example, police officers may find it helpful to scan driver's licenses to avoid errors in recording identification information. It also may be useful for bars and nightclubs to optically scan information provided on personal identification cards to verify the age of customers, especially in low light situations. Still further, voter polling places can benefit from optically scanning information provided on personal identification cards to lower voter fraud.
Most modern portable computing devices, such as tablet computers and cell phones, include a camera. Such devices can run software applications that allow the computing devices to optically scan data using their cameras. In addition to optical character recognition software, such devices may include software for scanning one-dimensional bar codes, such as universal product codes, and two-dimensional matrix codes, such as quick response and PDF 417 codes.
There are difficulties associated with scanning personal identification cards with portable computing devices like cell phones and tablet computers. For example, it is particularly difficult to scan PDF 417 barcodes found on the back of state driver's licenses. It is often not easy to align the camera of the computing device in a manner such that the information provided on the personal identification card can be optically scanned. Moreover, it often takes an appreciable amount of time to adjust the distance and angle between a barcode on the personal identification card and the camera to obtain sufficient imaging clarity. In some situations, such delays can be highly problematic, taking up to 30 to 60 seconds.